While Alaska is the largest state in the United States of America in terms of area, it is also the least densely populated state. Situated in the northwest tip of the North American continent, it is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and Canada to the east. The capital of Alaska is Juneau, but its largest city is Anchorage.

Alaska’s economy is largely dependent on its oil and gas reserves, wherein the export of which accounts for 80% of the state’s revenues. Other than the extraction of these natural resources, the state also exports seafood such as salmon, crab, and cod. The tourism and service sector is now growing to be a significant component of the economy. Agriculture output is minimal and is mainly for the state’s own consumption.

The state flag was actually already in existence long before Alaska became a state. The design, the Big Dipper and the North Star on a blue background, was made by John Ben Benson, a seventh-grade student from Seward, in 1926. For this design, Benson won a $1000 scholarship, an engraved watch, and a memorial along the Seward highway. The Big Dipper stands for the Great Bear which symbolizes strength, the North Star to symbolize Alaska’s being the most northerly part of the union, and the blue background is for the Alaska sky.